AFCON 2025: How 3 Senegal Players Were Attacked With Mysterious Health Issues Before Morocco Final
- Three Senegal players reportedly suffered unexplained health scares before and during the AFCON final
- Senegalese federation official describes alarming symptoms and hospital visits
- Senegal overcame off-field chaos and on-field controversy to win the title, defeating Morocco 1-0 in the final
Fresh revelations continue to emerge days after Senegal’s dramatic Africa Cup of Nations final victory over Morocco, with disturbing details now surfacing about unexplained health scares that affected three Senegalese players shortly before and during the game.
As the dust slowly settles on one of the most chaotic finals in AFCON history, officials within the Senegalese camp have spoken out, raising troubling questions about what the Atlas Lions endured in the build-up to their historic victory in Rabat.
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Mysterious health issue attacks Senegal’s camp
AS Monaco winger Krepin Diatta was the first to break the silence after reports emerged that he was rushed to hospital just moments before kickoff.
Now, Bacary Cisse, president of the Senegal Football Federation’s Communication Commission, has offered a detailed and alarming account of what transpired behind the scenes.
Speaking to Senegalese broadcaster TFM, Cisse revealed that Diatta suffered a sudden health scare during warm-up, forcing him out of the starting lineup.
According to Cisse, Diatta was seen in a wheelchair, appearing disoriented and struggling to control his tongue before being rushed to the hospital.
Shockingly, the incident did not end there.
Just minutes later, defender Ousseynou Niang reportedly experienced similar symptoms while warming up, prompting immediate concern among the medical staff.
Cisse described the scenes as “truly disastrous,” as Niang also had to be withdrawn under urgent medical attention.
Another player collapse at half-time
The mystery worsened when Cisse disclosed that midfielder Pape Matar Sarr collapsed in the dressing room during half-time.
Sarr, who had warmed up before the interval, reportedly showed the same symptoms as Diatta and Niang.
“Krépin Diatta had suffered a health scare and was taken to hospital. We later found out he had been replaced in the starting lineup. As the players were warming up, just three minutes later, I saw Ousseynou Niang having a similar episode,” Cisse was quoted by Foot Africa.
"Mayacine told me he was showing the same symptoms as Krépin Diatta. Krépin was sitting in a wheelchair, seemingly losing control of his tongue. It was truly disastrous. He was then rushed to hospital. Pape Matar Sarr, who had warmed up before halftime, also collapsed in the dressing room during the break. He showed the same symptoms as Krépin and Ousseynou."
While no official medical explanation has been publicly released, the similarities in the players’ conditions have raised eyebrows across African football.
Despite the unsettling circumstances, Senegal’s coaching staff and players regrouped under intense pressure, showing remarkable resilience in the face of adversity.
Senegal overcome chaos to win AFCON title
What followed on the pitch only added to the controversy surrounding the final.
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Senegal temporarily walked off the pitch after referee Jacques Ndala awarded a late penalty to Morocco, moments after disallowing a goal for the Teranga Lions.
Sadio Mane played a crucial leadership role, urging his teammates to return and complete the match.
Morocco missed the penalty, and Senegal went on to secure a dramatic 1-0 victory in extra time, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal.
The victory delivered Senegal their second AFCON title, but the revelations surrounding the mysterious health issues have cast a long shadow over the occasion.
Morocco petitions CAF after Senegal victory
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Morocco has reportedly escalated its protest over the chaotic Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final by filing a formal petition to both FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), demanding that Senegal be stripped of the title and the trophy awarded to the Atlas Lions.
The dramatic final, played in Rabat, has continued to generate controversy days after Senegal’s 1-0 victory in extra time, with the dispute now shifting from the pitch to football’s highest governing bodies.
Source: Legit.ng
